Poetry Session

The Acquisition of Dreams

Dreams put on hold
Left untold and unfed
Are for the dead

One must continue
To nurture and pursue
Otherwise you'll be empty and confused

Dreams are feasible
Don't allow yourself to become feeble
Or mingle
With society's path
They will feel your wrath

As you uncover the essence of your being
Your relentless daydreams unbecoming
If it isn't tired or tried then you will survive
You shall not conform to somebody's definition
Of perfection

Dreams are seeking your truth
Persevering through all struggles of our youth
Looking back to the lovely days of pitter patter
Even if yesterday was bitter
You're an entirely new person altogether

Believe that it can be achieved as long as you perceive
And you make it clear through your actions
And liaisons
With your mind, body, and soul
No one else has the right to control

Dreams allow you to be the driver
And the passenger

Of an all-inclusive and exclusive club
One that omits anyone from deferring
Your dreams....

Penned by: Marie Banzuelo
Created on 4/28/09
At precisely 11:55 pm

Havin' Some Tapas....

We went to Georgetown recently and stopped by this Spanish Tapas place called Bodega. It was surprisingly delicious and I say this because I don't usually like seared tuna, but even that was pretty good. We had some calamari, salmon with olives, grilled shrimp with saffron rice, and seared tuna. Mmmm....

The ambiance was very romantic yet contemporary - see the pic above with the bull horn. We shopped it up afterwards @ Urban Outfitters and ended the day on a perfect note with a stop at one of my fave places, Rita's Italian Ice!!

Certified Cutie

Look at Sean trying to sit up!

We went to my little cousin Ryland's birthday party yesterday. They live all the way out Hagerstown, MD in a gorgeous home that I will share pics of in a future post. My cousin, Genesis, is the handsome man you see above. Ladies, if you see him go for it!! He's well-educated, kind, caring, and simply awesome - Love u Kuya Gen!!!

Ladies, you know what time it is.....

We have a summer-like weekend ahead of us and you already know what that means Ladies! Gorgeous dresses, cuffed jeans or shorts, tanks, sandals but most importantly, a nice manicure & pedicure.

Ever seen a pretty girl with some nice sandals on and her feet look busted?? This is probably one of the biggest fashion faux-pas because it definitely completes the look. Ok, so you got your Marc Jacobs tote and Rock & Republic Jeans with your Gucci sandals --- but did you make a visit to the nail salon? If the answer is no, then you might as well put on some sweatpants and your Coach sneakers or J's cuz it ain't gonna work.

And with the current state of the economy, of course you want to save some money! So, I have a few tips for you:

* Go to your nearest beauty supply store and buy the following: pumice stone, foot scrub and lotion, file, buff, and nail cutter for trimming, oil to soften cuticles, base coat, polish color (I like OPI the best!), and top coat.

* Begin the prep stuff at home - when you get a pedicure, you see the nail tech using pumice stone and foot scrub to make your feet smoother so you can do the same at home. Then you want to start trimming your nails to a desired length. You then buff before putting cuticle oil. You rinse and then proceed to the final step.

* Color - The three key steps to a perfect manicure/pedicure are base coat, polish, and top coat. You can't expect good results if you miss one. And make sure that you stroke upward when applying the noted key items.

I do all of the above before I go to the nail salon. And my sole purpose of going is to get nail art. I like the variety of colors and designs - it makes it more interesting & fun! I am so excited about this weekend because of the beautiful weather coming our way! I'm ssoooo tired of the cold!!

I guarantee that in doing this, you will save money because if you think about it, the other two seasons don't require such maintenance. Have a fabulous weekend everyone!!

Damn YOU Allergies

I have a love/hate relationship with Spring.

I love the weather - perfect medium, not too hot, not too cold - BUT my allergies make me feel so horrible that I would rather lock myself inside my room and not come out until Summer. Seriously.

The smell of mulch, freshly-cut grass, POLLEN....need I say more?!?! I was suffering from watery and itchy eyes simultaneously, sneezing uncontrollably, etc. I usually take Claritin 24-hour allergy however I heard about this Allergy Buster which promises to do the following:

Allergy Buster is 100% natural, combining the power of capsaicin pepper extract with nettle extract to provide maximum relief of allergy symptoms. From your very first spray, you’ll feel the power of the capsaicin working right where you need it.

Allergy Buster safely desensitizes the nerve fibers that react to allergy triggers while also blocking the environmental factors associated with those triggers.
This formula quickly relieves:

* Nasal Congestion
* Runny Nose
* Sneezing
* Sinus Pressure & Headache

And as an ‘all natural’ nasal spray Allergy Buster is carefully formulated without chemicals, additives or preservatives of any kind – no yeast or grains – no steroids. It is non-habit forming with no known drug interactions. And it comes in a recyclable, environmentally-friendly glass bottle.

I'm going to try it and let you all know how it goes....

Sean Alexander parties @ reception

Ok, maybe not him in particular but everyone else did. Well, sort of. It was a nice reception filled with laughter, food, and a close encounter with deers! The closest I've ever been to a deer is via a movie called Bambi (ha-ha).

I also caught Devin eating cake like nobody's business. It was hilarious how he had no care in the world except for that cake!

Hope you enjoy the pics!

Sean Alexander gets Baptized

Sean Alexander got baptized on Saturday, April 18th. Among the godparents were: Gertrude (my cousin), Judith, Juvy, Marlon, JR, Evan, etc...

He was asleep while we waited on the previous service to come to a close. I love you Sean!!!

WTF is wrong with this?

I was at the library the evening of Wednesday, April 15th studying for my exam the following day. The library is now my second home - I mean what more could you ask for? Unlimited access to books, periodicals, DVDs, etc. You just have to remember to bring it all back or else you'll suffer late fees, but what's so difficult about that? Hhmm....you'd be surprised how most people forget LOL

I came across this Lacoste ad from Glamour magazine and saw a few problems I had with it. The two front and center models are, of course, not a minority. BUT THE OTHER TWO THAT WERE CUT OFF ARE!!! They couldn't have moved the fan?! Or cropped it to ensure everyone is shown?!?!?!

Our current technology will allow us to photoshop and crop until the editing looks decent. You see most of these models, actors, pseudo actresses on the magazine covers photoshopped to death to make sure their imperfections aren't obvious.

If they had removed that fan and showed everyone appropriately, I wouldn't be so infuriated. Am I simply overreacting or is this an issue that should be addressed by Glamour magazine or Lacoste???

Bookworm

I'm currently reading Truth, knowledge, or just plain bull: How to tell the difference by Bernard M. Patten. So far so good. I like how he begins with this, "Clear thinking helps you protect yourself from the dangers of the ubiquitous nonsense and outright frauds that assault you from every side".

It's so true! How many times have you been burned before by going along with someones idea of "good fun" and then finding out the hard way that the "good fun" involved more than what you bargained for? Or how about Ms. Cleo and other psychics like her? Don't hold someones beliefs to a pedestal because it's best when you know the truth, have knowledge, and clearly see when someone is bullshitting you!

I'll give you the final verdict once I'm done reading it. You should visit the local library and pick it up....

Take me out to the ball game.....

Evan, Stella, and I went to the Washington Nationals vs. Phillies game last night, Thursday, April 16th. Stella's co-worker bailed on her last minute, so I gave the extra ticket to a stranger. Well, a very kind and deserving stranger who revealed later that her name was Brandy.

We had ssoooo much fun!! Though there were more Phillies fans than there were Nats, we were still rooting for the home team. AND THEY WHOOPED ASS ON THE PHILLIES....8-2!!

Game Day

Evan & I are going to the Nats vs. Phillies game tonight along with a family friend, Stella. I'll post pics from the game in the next post.

Oh, I take my exam today as well. Hopefully, the study sessions will pay off - wish me luck!!!

Oh, Rain

Rain, you were always on my favorite things list
But right now I want you to listen to my diss...

Rain, I used to love you until today
I wish you would leave me and just go away
I'm hopeful
That the sun's here to stay
For the remainder of the day anyway

Rain, I'm fighting hard to stay awake
Trying to resist but each time my eyes start to feel heavy
Then they close momentarily
What are u doin' to me?

Rain, I used to love your calming and sensual effects
Now you made a mess on my J's
Frizzed up my waves
And drenched my trench coat down to my fetish

Oh, rain please alleviate my pain
Wanna put on my pretty dresses & cuffed jeans
These are things you forbid and restrict
Oh, rain you're acting like a d*ck!

Yet still I've got love for you
But don't test my patience
Take note and move on to the next state
Don't let me see you around here no more
I am now shutting my door.....

What a Beauty!

I came across these beautiful tulips at a stop light. That's right a stop light - while driving!

As previously stated, I have become obsessed with capturing beautiful sights and random things with my awesome camera. I love how the rain drops managed to stay on the flower - it looks exquisite!

Weird Obsession

Flowers. Intricate Designs. Strange Palettes.

These are all oddly interesting to me. When I see a bright-colored flower or a strikingly beautiful painting, I have to take a pic of it! I'd like to show my amateur photography skills. The operative word being amateur....

Life is like a painting - luminous yet dark.